LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Lafayette Consolidated Government is touting new funding they’ve received from the state and legislative victories coming out of the last legislative session.

“We had three pieces of legislation we were supporting,” says Mayor President Monique Blanco Boulet.

These three legislative bills are Senate bill 237, Senate bill 142, and House Bill 446. Senate bill 142, she says, helps the police department. It allows the police department to promote officers to major based on merit, instead of seniority. “It will really help the police chief develop a new leadership team and really craft a leadership team that address the needs of Lafayette parish,” says Boulet.

Senate bill 237 allows the city and parish to take quicker action on blighted properties, while still respecting property rights. “We needed the authority to be able to deal with blighted properties, helping them to get cleaned up at a faster pace, and that’s what that bill allows us to do,” explains Boulet.

House bill 446 will make clearer rules for zoning decisions which LCG says will help Lafayette develop and grow smarter and more quickly. This is especially true as new state funding is coming into the parish. With the last legislative session, LCG has secured over $7.9 million dollars. Boulet says this many will go to infrastructure and develop projects across the parish. Some of the projects include but are not limited to:

1. Heymann Park Improvements
2. Lake Farm Road Roundabout
3. Johnston Street Infrastructure improvements
4. Community Assessment for Mental Health Crisis Center
5. North Lafayette Redevelopment Initiatives
6. Cormier Road Improvements
7. I-49 Connector at Kaliste Saloom Road

Boulet says this new funding is vital to completing these projects. “We don’t have enough funding to do everything we need to do so being able to work with our legislatures to identify priorities across the city, parish, and across the region is always very helpful,” says Boulet. “They really came through for us in a big way, so we appreciate and want to thank them for everything they do.”

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